Can they keep a secret?
by BCBoo
Summary: CHAPTER 3 UP Mungojerrie, Rumpleteazer and the Rum Tum Tugger run away to keep a secret and 3 cats are reborn, 1 good cats, 1 bad cat, and 1 ok cat. Some death, but hey, we don't like Macavity do we?
1. The Secret

"TAG YOUR IT!"  
  
Apart from giggling that was the only thing you could hear around the junkyard. The kittens were making the most of the warm sunshine while Tugger wasn't there to distract the females. The older cats were sitting around the clearing; they didn't dare step into it, in case kittens, mistaking them for someone else, attacked them.  
  
The infectious giggle of Rumpleteazer burst through the junkyard. Jennyanydots peered over the ledge she was sitting on to see what was going on. Mungojerrie, by the looks of it, had jumped on her; it wasn't enough to just tag Rumpleteazer. They started having a play fight and giggling immensely.  
  
"TUGGER!" Jemima shouted while pointing in the direction of the junkyard entrance, or one of many. Etcetera, Electra, Jemima and Victoria ran over to him and started their daily ritual of adoring him.  
  
The male kittens decided to have a rest and sat down. Once Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer had given up their play fight they sat with kittens, the older cats came down into the clearing.  
  
"You two are disgusting!" Pouncival said. He was the youngest kitten and didn't understand about becoming mates or love.  
  
"Wats roung? We jus' got our arms round each othea."  
  
"Ain't notin roung with that." Rumpleteazer carried on her mate's sentence.  
  
"But one minute your playing like little kittens and then you go all adult on us with this love stuff." Pouncival replied and crinkled up his nose after the last part.  
  
For the next 5 or 10 minutes, Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer had fun teasing the kits about love.  
  
"Maybe one day they'll grow up and start acting their age." Jennyanydots said to Skimbleshanks, her mate.  
  
"Love, them two will never have to grow up, they've got a posh house in Victoria Grove, humans who love and take care of them. They're not like us, they haven't got responsibilities, they just got luxury." He was right and Jenny knew it, he was wise and could usually see below the surface to the real cat beneath, which was one of the many things Jenny loved about Skimble.  
  
"You're right love, like always." She giggled, "Speaking of humans, mine had left over chicken from last night, want to go see if we can get some?"  
  
"Say no more love, I'm all ready there." Skimble jumped up and ran towards the direction of Jenny's home. Jenny and Skimble may be hitting middle age but they are both as fit as they've ever been, and when in the right mood could even beat the kittens in a race.  
  
"EWW!" Pouncival screeched, "I'm never gonna fall in love, it's sounds disgusting!"  
  
"It's not tha' bad, you can ignore it…" Mungojerrie said. Rumpleteazer hit his arm.  
  
"It's wonderful and you won't be able to stop it." She corrected his sentence.  
  
"Oi was gonna say tha'!" Jerrie protested.  
  
"No you weren't." Teazer protested back,  
  
"Ok, your righ', Oi weren't gonna." Jerrie frowned.  
  
"You silly oaf, Oi know ya mean well." Teazer grinned at her mate and gave him a kiss on the cheek and the kittens reacted.  
  
"EWWWWWWW!!!!!"  
  
Munkustrap was thinking. *What's going on with me, I can't control my own thoughts any more. Dad warned me about this, Mum had it, and she went…*  
  
"Excuse me?" A small queen said up to Munkustrap who was sitting on an abandoned chair.  
  
"Yes." He replied helpfully and looked down to see her. He had lost his train of thought.  
  
She looked a bit like Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer, but her fur was longer than either of them and lighter than Rumple's.  
  
"I've been walking around the country for everlasting cat knows how long and I was wondering if Mungojerrie was anywhere around here, it's very urgent." Munkustrap wondered what such a polite well-spoken cat like this wanted Mungojerrie for.  
  
"You've come to the right junkyard. He should be in the clearing, last time I checked he was playing tag with the kittens."  
  
"That sounds like my Jerrie. I'm Miru." She put a paw out to greet him. Munkustrap jumped down to greet her.  
  
"I'm Munkustrap. I'll take you to him. Alonzo?" Munkus shouted to Alonzo as he walked past, "Would you mind keeping watch while I go find Jerrie?"  
  
"Sure, what has he done this time?" Alonzo giggled.  
  
"For once, nothing. I'll be back in a minute." With that Munkustrap led Miru to the clearing.  
  
After the kittens had stopped ewing, they were choosing what to play next. Rumpleteazer want to play hide and seek, Pouncival wanted to play Power Rangers. They were having an argument when Munkustrap walked into the clearing with Miru behind him.  
  
"Mungojerrie!" Munkus shouted. Mungojerrie was watching the argument; he looked like he was watching tennis.  
  
"Wha' you wan' you old silver zebra?" He shouted back. He had once come up with that nickname and rather liked calling Munkus it.  
  
"There's someone here to see you." Mungo looked up.  
  
"MIRU!" He shouted and went running up to her. "Wha' are you doin 'ere?"  
  
"Jerrie! Thank Everlasting Cat I found you!" They both hugged.  
  
"Ow'd you find me?"  
  
"I've been looking for you for ages, it's just pure luck that I found you."  
  
"Where's Mum, you swore you wouldn't leave 'er alone for to long."  
  
"I don't know."  
  
"WHAT!"  
  
"She's gone missing, no-one believed me that she was kidnapped, they think she ran off on her own. She wouldn't go alone, since Dad's been gone she won't be alone."  
  
"Do you know who took 'er? Were there any clues?" Jerrie was frantic, the only cat he loved more than Rumpleteazer was his Mum.  
  
"There was nothing, she just disappeared." Miru started crying.  
  
"Oh, don't cry sis, I can't cope with cryin'." He put his arm around her, trying to comfort her. Comforting had never been Mungojerrie's strong point.  
  
"Come 'ere Miru, Teaza'll take care of ya." Rumpleteazer led Miru to the pipe to calm down.  
  
"Teazer! I haven't seen you for ages." Miru got out between sobs.  
  
"Last time you saw me was last time you saw Jerrie, nd I got some pearls since then." Teazer proudly showed her pearls to Miru as they got to the pipe.  
  
"Jerrie. How can a cat like her be your sister?" Munkustrap asked.  
  
"Wha'?" Mungojerrie wasn't paying attention, he was trying to figure out who would catnap his mum. *It could be, naw, he wouldn't, would he? * Jerrie thought to himself.  
  
"I said, how can a cat like her be your sister? She's so polite and she doesn't have an accent."  
  
"She takes after me Mum, I take after me Dad. Mum doesn't 'ave an accent. Who would take me Mum? Wha as anyone got to make out of it?" Jerrie had a worried look on his face that Munkustrap had never seen before.  
  
"I don't know. Who is your Mum?" Mungojerrie was about to reply when suddenly…  
  
"MACAVITY!" Demeter came running through the junkyard. All the cats panicked and ran to the clearing. Jerrie grabbed his sister; he was worried for her safety when he was around. With his other arm he grabbed Rumpleteazer, he'd do anything to protect her.  
  
"Miru, finally. If you'd taken any longer to get here I was going to carry you here my self. How hard is it to find a junkyard full of cats near Victoria Grove." Macavity stared at Miru.  
  
"What do you want Macavity?" Munkustrap shouted.  
  
"Oh don't your fur in a muddle. It doesn't involve you, or almost any of your other jellicles. This involves Miru, Mungojerrie, me and that cat they call Mum." Macavity grinned evilly.  
  
"Wha' 'ave you done with Mum!?" Jerrie demanded.  
  
"Oh she's fine with me, for now. I wish I could have made this announcement sooner, but I thought it was best to have the whole family here. Mungojerrie, come and work for me, your skills are wasted on catbuglering. You could be so much more with me; you can even bring Rumpleteazer with you. If you join me then I'll let your Mum go. I'll give you 3 days to think about it." And with that Macavity disappeared.  
  
"I'LL NEVER WORK FOR YOU!" Mungojerrie shouted before running off.  
  
A few hours later Mungojerrie returned.  
  
"Jerrie? Where'd you go, we thought you had tried to break in on Macavity alone." Munkustrap said when he saw Jerrie slowly walk through a pipe to the junkyard.  
  
"Even oi'm not tha dumb. Where's Miru?"  
  
"She's with Teazer. They're both worried sick about you."  
  
"Thanks." Jerrie said as he slowly walked towards the clearing.  
  
"Jerrie! Where were you! We were worried sick!" Miru came running up to Jerrie, who looked at her with regret.  
  
"Everlastin cat, are you ok Jerrie, your not urt are you." Teazer searched his body for cuts.  
  
"Oi'm fine. Oi didn't go do nothin stupid."  
  
"Well you never know with you," Miru replied, "So where did you go. I've learnt never to trust that look."  
  
"Oi wen after Mac, see if oi could talk some sense into 'im."  
  
"Jerrie. Uncle Mac's never cared about us, you know that."  
  
"Oi know Miru, but oi thought oi'd try. Oi think he lied abou' Mum. Oi could smell 'er on 'im. Nd it wasn't a good smell."  
  
"You don't think e?" Teazer said shocked  
  
"Oh Everlasting Cat!" Miru screamed and ran to the pipe.  
  
"What's going on?" Munkustrap had heard Miru and came running over.  
  
"We think Macavity's killed Mum. Munkus, we gota go find 'er. We gota go quick." Jerrie was looking at the shaking form of his sister crying in the pipe.  
  
"Your right. I'm going to gather a search party; you go calm your sister down.  
  
About half an hour later, Munkustrap had gathered a group of cats and Mungojerrie had calmed his sister down as much as she was going to be. The search party consisted of Munkustrap, Alonzo, Rum Tum Tugger, Demeter, Bombalurina, Rumpleteazer, and of course, Mungojerrie and Miru. They didn't take Mistoffelees or the twins because Macavity could manipulate their thoughts using the psychic paths they all had.  
  
"Ok, the plan is we get to Macavity's layer and then spilt up into pairs and scan the area. Miru, we need a description of your Mum." Munkustrap said.  
  
"She's a bit bigger than Jerrie with long white fur. That's about it."  
  
"Ok, when you find her, get her out. Let's go."  
  
The 8 cats said goodbye to loved ones and headed to Macavity's layer. When they got there the split into pairs based on ability. It was Rum Tum Tugger and Rumpleteazer, Munkustrap and Mungojerrie, Alonzo and Miru, and Demeter and Bombalurina. They all started wondering around.  
  
"It's very quiet." Munkustrap whispered to Mungojerrie.  
  
"Oi know, not like Mac."  
  
"I forgot to ask, what's your Mum's name, I know it won't help with the search because we can't shout, but I was curious."  
  
"Griddlebone." Jerrie whispered hesitantly.  
  
"What!"  
  
"Griddlebone, you know, 'Griddlebone she gave a screech for she was badly skeered.'"  
  
"That make's you Dad…"  
  
"The Terror of the Thames himself, Growltiger." Jerrie grinned a bit at this. Him and Miru had fun going around telling cats who their parents were when they were kits. As they grew older they stopped, because cats judged them on their parents.  
  
"Does Teazer know?"  
  
"Of course Teaza knows. Oi tell er everythin."  
  
"Well I'm going to call off the search." Munkustrap turned to find everyone else.  
  
"Wha! Why?" Jerrie demanded as he grabbed Munkustrap's shoulder and swung him round.  
  
"There's no point looking for Griddlebone."  
  
"Why!"  
  
"Because it's Griddlebone, she's evil."  
  
"No she's not!"  
  
"Yes she is. She mated into Growltiger's family, and that makes her evil, I mean Macavity's in that family. Wait, he's…"  
  
"E's me uncle. But oi'm part of tha family, nd so's Teazea, does tha mean we're evil?"  
  
"We'll have to decide that when we get back to the junkyard."  
  
"Lisen 'ere you son of a pom. You cannot judge my Mum, Teaza or me like tha'! We're good cats! Dad was bad 'nd so's uncle Mac, but it doesn't mean we are." Jerrie was fuming with anger, how dare Munkustrap say that about his Mum or Teazer. "I know you've neva liked me, but tha's no reason to judge the cats I love."  
  
"The cat's you love don't deserve the name cat. They are family of evil; so don't expect to be a jellicle for very long, you or Rumpleteazer. And your right I don't like you, I've always thought that you were useless, worthless, shouldn't have been born." Munkustrap didn't know what came over him. He didn't have any control over what he was saying.  
  
"You say tha' again and you'll wish oi 'ad never been born." Jerrie had his claws out now, he couldn't control himself, he was over taken with rage.  
  
"Your useless, worthless, you shouldn't have been born. I always thought that, and now I know who your family are the feeling is growing. You are worthless, your sister is worthless and so is your…"  
  
"Don't say it!" Jerrie said between gritted teeth.  
  
"So is your, and especially, your Mum." Munkustrap didn't expect what came next; he had never seen Mungojerrie lose his cool. Mungojerrie hated violence, which made it even more of a surprise.  
  
Mungojerrie snapped when Munkustrap said that about his Mum. He attacked Munkustrap with strength he never knew he had. In one swift swipe, Munkustrap was dead.  
  
"Everlastin cat! Wha 'ave oi done!" Jerrie had to find Teazer, he ran.  
  
Jerrie ran and ran and ran. He ran past some of Macavity's Hench cats, but they didn't seem to care. He kept running until he saw Teazer.  
  
"Teazer!" He ran towards her and skidded to a stop behind her. "Oi didn't mean to, oi didn't mean to, it was a acciden'" he panted.  
  
"Jerrie. Wha' are you on abou'. Where's Munkus?"  
  
"Oi didn't mean to."  
  
"Jerrie. You're making no sense. Calm down, breath and tell us what's happened." Tugger said.  
  
"Oi can't calm down."  
  
"Why can't you calm down?" Tugger was worried; he'd never seen Jerrie like this.  
  
"Oi…oi…oi can't say it. You'll 'ave to follow me."  
  
"Ok Jerrie. Don't worry it'll be fine." Teazer gave him a comforting kiss. Jerrie headed back to where Munkustrap's body was with Tugger and Teazer in tow.  
  
When they got there he pointed at Munkustrap's body.  
  
"Everlasting Cat! What happened? Is he dead?" Tugger ran over to see his best friend. He may not show it, but him and Munkustrap had been best friends since they were little kits. Mungojerrie couldn't speak; he just looked down and nodded his head.  
  
"Oo did it Jerrie?" Teazer had her arm around her mate and was comforting him.  
  
"Oi didn't mean to." Jerrie got out before he started crying.  
  
"Oh Jerrie, you didn't." Tugger said holding Munkustrap's paw.  
  
"He wen mad. E was sayin oi was worthless and tha oi shouldn't ave been born. E said it 'bout Teaza, Miru and Mum as well, oi couldn't hold my anger in; oi just cracked and attacked im. Oi didn't mean to, e was just to much" Jerrie was still crying and was hugging up to Teazer, holding her.  
  
"He's right you know." A voice came from the shadows. "Little Munkus there went mad, if Jerrie here hadn't killed him, I would have. No one says that about my favourite nephew. Your not useless are you Jerrie, you have some skills I need, so why don't you just give up?" Macavity stepped out from the shadows and was towering over the 3 cats.  
  
"Firstly, oi'm your only nephew, and secondly, oi'll never join you." Jerrie broke away from Teazer and stood in front of her.  
  
"But now I've got your sister, your mate and lots of other little Jellicles wondering around my layer, it won't be very hard to capture them all. I don't see that you have a choice. Also, you're now a murderer; you killed the tribe protector, that's how I got kicked out. But then again I killed him for no reason at all, you do have a reason, but the jellicles will judge and that will be the end of you."  
  
"You don't know that." Jerrie was slightly worried at the look in Macavity's eyes; it was look that said he wasn't going to mess around.  
  
"Think about it Mungojerrie. You killed the tribe protector, they're not going to go easy on you." Deep down, Jerrie knew that Macavity was right, but he wasn't about to admit it.  
  
"You're wrong, they'll be mad, bu' it'll be ok after a while, they won't kick me ou'." Jerrie was lying to himself. They'd be more than mad, but he wasn't sure if they would kick him out. Chances are they would, even if he told them what happened.  
  
"Oh come on Jerrie. Your being stupid, we both know what will happen to you, and your mate. It's the same kind of thing that's happened to your mum." Macavity was cleaning between his teeth with his claws, not noticing the anger that was building up inside Mungojerrie.  
  
"What have you done to er!" Jerrie had his claws out again. One still had Munkustrap's blood on it.  
  
"Oh nothing, I just made the last hour she spent alive a living hell, which is convenient, considering that's where she is now." Macavity was grinning, Rumpleteazer went to stand next to Tugger; she was scared of what Macavity was going to do, and what Jerrie was going to do. Jerrie didn't say anything for a few seconds, he was engulfed in shock, then he moved.  
  
"There's something oi've been meaning to do to you for a long time." Before Macavity even had the chance to respond, or say bobsyouruncle, Mungojerrie attacked him.  
  
Jerrie knew that this fight wasn't going to be as easy as Munkustrap's was. He was an exceptional fighter; Munkustrap and the tribe had often depended on that, even if Jerrie wouldn't fight unless he needed to. But Macavity was the best fighter; he had never lost a one on one fight ever.  
  
The 2 toms fought for what felt like forever to them and the 2 spectators. Fur and blood was flying everywhere. Jerrie lost an ear and Macavity lost an eye. But finally the fight was over. Teazer and Tugger held their breath, they couldn't tell who'd won. If it was Jerrie, they would be fine, if it was Macavity, they would have to run. One of the toms started to move, it was Mungojerrie. Rumpleteazer went running over to him.  
  
"Oh Jerrie! Are you Ok? Everlasting Cat, We need to get you back to the junkyard." She started licking his wounds, Jerrie gave her a hug and he didn't want to let go.  
  
"Jerrie, thank everlasting cat your ok. Where did you learn to fight like that?" Tugger asked,  
  
"Dad taught me. 'e wanted me to be tha next Terror Of The Thames." He realised what he said and quickly tried to explain, when Teazer cut in.  
  
"Don't worry Jerrie, oi told im."  
  
"Come on, we need to find everyone else." Tugger suggested. They all agreed and set off deeper into Macavity's layer, leaving Munkustrap's and Macavity's bodies behind.  
  
Eventually they found everyone. They were all in the corridor next to all the cells.  
  
"Where's Munkustrap?" Demeter asked with a worried expression on her face.  
  
"'E's gone." Rumpleteazer said with her most caring voice.  
  
"WHAT!"  
  
"Oi'm sorry Demeter." Teazer replied,  
  
"NO! HE CAN'T BE, YOU'RE LYING, HE HAS TO BE ALIVE!" Demeter was in hysterics. Bombalurina and Rumpleteazer took her to a quite corner to comfort her. Jerrie felt terrible, he wondered why he survived the fight with Macavity, he certainly didn't deserve to. Tugger sat next to him.  
  
"Don't blame your self Jerrie, he went mad at the end, I'd noticed it happening for weeks. He would have done something drastic soon." Tugger whispered, neither of them wanted anyone else to know. Suddenly there was a scream from one of the cells.  
  
"MIRU!" Jerrie jumped up and ran towards her scream, when he got there he broke down in tears. Miru had found where Griddlebone's body was. The rest of the cats came to see what was going on. Alonzo, Demeter and Bombalurina were the only ones who didn't know that Griddlebone was Mungojerrie's and Miru's mum.  
  
"It's Griddlebone, I thought she lived near the sea?" Bombalurina said.  
  
"Mum, what did he do to you." Miru walked over to her mum's body.  
  
"MUM!" Alonzo exclaimed.  
  
"Yes, Griddlebone and Growltiger are Mungojerrie's and Miru's parents." Tugger replied  
  
"I'll kill him I swear." Miru said while standing up.  
  
"Don't bother, e's all ready dead." Jerrie got out between sobs.  
  
"What!" Demeter, Miru, Bombalurina and Alonzo said together.  
  
"Jerrie 'ere got a bit mad." Teazer said while putting her arms around her mate.  
  
"We should get out of here, with Macavity dead, who knows what his hench cats and rats will do." Tugger suggested while standing up and turning to face everyone.  
  
"You're right, come on everyone. Alonzo, you carry Griddlebone, Tugger you're going to carry Munkustrap, they both deserve proper funerals." Bombalurina took charge.  
  
They all headed back to the junkyard where all the cats were waiting for them. Tantomile and Coricopat had sensed that some thing bad had happened, but they didn't know what. 


	2. Can They Keep It

Bombalurina and Demeter were the first to enter the junkyard. Demeter was crying on Bomby's shoulder. Next were Alonzo with a white cat over his shoulder, and Miru following behind. She couldn't cry any more, she had cried her self-dry. Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer came in next. Mungo was leaning on Rumple and limping. On the way out of Macavity's layer he had fallen over and ripped a cut on his leg open further than before. Jennyanydots and Jellylorum came running over to help him, but everyone froze when they saw who came next. It was Tugger with Munkustrap over his shoulder. Queens around the junkyard cried, toms went to comfort them and Old Deuteronomy was called immediately.  
  
Tugger and Alonzo, with grief on their faces, put the 2 bodies down in the clearing. Demeter looked at the body of her mate and ran off crying, Bombalurina followed her. Cassandra went over to Alonzo to comfort him and make sure he wasn't hurt.  
  
"What happened?" Cassandra gave him a once over with her eyes to make sure he wasn't hurt.  
  
"We'll tell you when Deuteronomy gets here."  
  
Jennyanydots got some bandages out for Mungojerrie and started to clean the wounds up.  
  
"Jerrie, did you find your mum?" She asked in her caring voice. She didn't realise who the white cat was.  
  
"Yeah, we found 'er. 'Er names Griddlebone, shes lyin next to Munkus" Mungojerrie looked down.  
  
"Oh, you poor dear. I'm so sorry." Jennyanydots was bandaging Mungojerrie's leg; she looked up to his missing ear. "You know that your half deaf now don't you?"  
  
"Oi was 'alf deaf ta begin with. One of dad's crew damaged me ear with their sword." Mungojerrie hadn't told many cats about this. He knew they would want an explanation, and he wasn't in a position to give one.  
  
"So we won't have to shout at you any more than normal then." Jenny gave a small laugh, trying to make light of a situation that was pitch black.  
  
The twins stood up, "I believe it is Old Deuteronomy." Mistoffelees went to help him. When he was on the tire, Deuteronomy looked at the body of Munkustrap and sighed.  
  
"What had happened here?" His prestigious voice cut through the weeps of everyone. He had been told about the rescue mission, but seeing the tribe protector dead, this was something that needs an explanation. "Who killed Munkustrap?"  
  
Mungojerrie was about to stand up to admit the truth, the truth that would get him outcasted for sure. Before he could gather the energy to stand up, Tugger spoke.  
  
"Macavity." Everyone turned to face Tugger who was standing in front of the abandoned bed frame. Tugger knew it was a lie, but he had to say it. Munkustrap was defiantly going mad, Mungojerrie had to kill him. No one would believe that though. The only thing to do was lie. Mungojerrie didn't deserve to be kicked out of the tribe. This was the hardest thing Tugger ever had to do, lie to Old Deuteronomy and the whole tribe. "Macavity killed Munkustrap and he was going to kill the rest of us as well. None of us would have made it back if it wasn't for Mungojerrie." There were short sharp shocked breaths from the tribe. "Mungojerrie killed Macavity, he saved us all." There were confused mummers from the crowd. Could Mungojerrie, the tom that never grew up, have really killed the Napoleon of Crime? A cat that believes in no mercy, a world-renowned fighter. The cat that only gave up the fight at the last ball because he was out numbered 30 to 1. Could Mungojerrie, a cat that hated fights, mostly lost them when he had to fight, and a cat that was about half the size of his opponent; could he have really killed Macavity? They all looked at Mungojerrie. It would explain the wounds he had. Mungojerrie looked down in disgust at what was happening. He knew Tugger was doing this for a reason, but he felt terrible. Even if this lie worked, could he keep it up? If the twins didn't get involved then he could.  
  
"Mungojerrie, is this true, did you kill Macavity?" Deuteronomy asked.  
  
"Yes." That was all Mungojerrie could say. He hated that fact that he had killed 2 cats, even if they deserved it. Rumpleteazer carefully put her arms around him; she didn't want to hurt him. Everyone wanted to congratulate Mungojerrie, but they couldn't until Deuteronomy approved of what he had done.  
  
"Mungojerrie. I know you are very much against violence, but you have to come to terms with what you have done. This will take time, of that I am sure, but you have done the right thing. You have saved the lives of innocent cats now and for years to come. Congratulations, you have done a great deed and you will be greatly rewarded." Mungojerrie was a hero; there were cheers through out the junkyard. Deuteronomy hushed everyone with a simple hand gesture. "Now, with a heavy heart, we must plan the funeral of Munkustrap and…" He was shocked at who the other cat was. "Griddlebone? What is she doing here?" Miru spoke up.  
  
"Griddlebone is mine and Mungojerrie's mum. We didn't get there soon enough to save her." Admetus was comforting her.  
  
"Then she will have a funeral as well. These loses were not in vain, we must remember that..." At this point Mungojerrie passed out from pain and guilt.  
  
Mungojerrie woke up the next afternoon with Rumpleteazer watching him. The fear that he wouldn't wake up filling her eyes.  
  
"Oh Jerrie your awake. Thank everlasting cat." She gave him a huge hug, "Oi was so worried." Tears started to fill her eyes.  
  
"Teaza. Don't cry. You know oi can't cope with cryin." He hugged her back.  
  
"You've bin out for almost 24 'ours."  
  
"Really!"  
  
"You've missed tha funeral, oi'm sorry."  
  
"Oh. Hows Miru copin?"  
  
"Oi don't know. She left righ after tha funeral." Tugger popped his head into view.  
  
"Jerrie, your up, good. Deuteronomy has some good news for you."  
  
"Wha could possibly be good at tha mommen?" Tugger sat down next to him.  
  
"Jerrie, you have to snap out of it. I have no idea what you're feeling at the moment so I can't help you. But what you did was the right thing." Tugger knew that if he were Mungojerrie he would be doing exactually what he was doing.  
  
"Oi know, bu it's ard. Oi need a walk." Mungojerrie carefully stood up. He wobbled a bit, but managed it.  
  
"Jerrie! Sit down, your no' fully recovered yet." Rumpleteazer moaned in the motherly voice she hoped she would never have to use.  
  
"Teazer's right Jerrie. You should rest some more."  
  
"Oi wanna go for a walk." Mungojerrie exclaimed  
  
"JERRIE! SIT DOWN!" Rumpleteazer hadn't got any sleep last night and was incredibly tired, and crabby.  
  
"Yes mam." Mungojerrie didn't even get to sit down with grace, not that he was the most graceful cat to begin with. The shock of Teazer shouting made him stumble and land on his bum. When Rumpleteazer was in a mood then you did what she said, she had no problems with violence.  
  
Tugger resisted the urge to laugh at him. Instead he chose to leave. He also knew the consequences of Rumpleteazer's anger.  
  
"I'll see you 2 later. Teazer, get some sleep, Jerrie, do what she says." Once he had left, they both heard him burst out in laughter.  
  
Later that evening Old Deuteronomy called a meeting. The moon was shining half as bright as normal. Many of the cats agreed that she was in mourning. Everyone knew that Old Deuteronomy had to chose a new tribe protector. But only Tugger knew who he was going to pick.  
  
"Even in this time of grief we have to carry on. To carry on we need someone to protect our tribe. I have thought long and hard about who has proven them selves, who has shown loyalty and bravery. The cat I have chosen is Mungojerrie." There were cheers from all of the cats. Rumpleteazer had got some sleep and was also cheering. Mungojerrie stood in shock, he wobbled a bit and Rumpleteazer held him. "Tomorrow we will have your inaugurate ceremony." Mungojerrie lost complete balance at this and fell over.  
  
"Jerrie? You ok." Rumpleteazer crouched next to him.  
  
"Oi'll be fin'. Elp me up." He smiled at her. "Thank you. This is a grea' 'onour." Mungojerrie said over to crowd.  
  
"I presume you know what the ceremony involves?" Deuteronomy said back  
  
"Yeah, oi know." Rumpleteazer suddenly realised why Mungojerrie fell over just now, the twins. "Oi should go ome nd ge' some sleep." He said to no one in particular. Deuteronomy nodded in approval and Mungojerrie turned to leave, with Rumpleteazer holding him up all the way.  
  
"Jerrie, wha are ya gonna do? Tha twins will do tha sykic test on you nd you'll be found out." Rumpleteazer asked when they got back to Victoria Grove.  
  
"Oi don't know." When a tribe protector got 'sworn in' they had to have their head checked by the physic cat of the tribe to make sure that they were right for the job. Mungojerrie wasn't worried about being right for the job, he was pretty sure that he would be fine for that. But he didn't want the whole tribe to know that he killed Munkustrap. If they found out then he would have to leave. Being kicked out was the most humiliating thing that can happen to a jellicle. Most jellicles who got kicked out turned bad. Macavity, Growltiger, Golloth, to name a few.  
  
"Let's get some sleep. We can tackle it in tha morning."  
  
"Ok. Oi love you Teaza."  
  
"Oi love you to Jerrie."  
  
That night Mungojerrie didn't sleep. He had a lot to think about.  
  
"Teaza, Teaza." Mungojerrie whispered while gently prodding Rumpleteazer.  
  
"Jerrie. Wha is it. Oi'm tryin to sleep." She groggily turned to face him. She noticed that he had his loot bag over his shoulder. "It's to late for catburggulin Jerrie."  
  
"Oi'm not goin catburgglin."  
  
"Where are ya goin then?" Her eyes were half open.  
  
"Oi'm leavin."  
  
"Wha!" She shot up.  
  
"Oi can't face tha tribe tommorra. Oi don't wanna get kicked out and end up loike Dad and Uncle Mac."  
  
"Jerrie ya can't. Wha abou me."  
  
"Oi don't know. Oi wasn't gunna tell ya, bu oi couldn't jus' leave."  
  
"If you're goin then oi'm goin with ya." She tumbled out of the basket.  
  
"Oi don't wanna drag you inta this." He caught her.  
  
"You can't stop me Jerrie, Oi'll follow ya if oi ave to." She went to grab her loot bag and grabbed a few belongings. "Where are we goin?"  
  
"Oi was thinking tha place tha our umans loike to go on oliday."  
  
"OO. It's lovely there, wha was it called?"  
  
"Olney oi think." (A/N: Olney isn't that lovely, unless you like quiet little villages with a river going through it)  
  
"Tha was it. Ok oi'm done. Let's go." Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer took one last look at the place they called home, and walked out the kitty door.  
  
They walked along an ally way, savouring the smell of the jellicle area.  
  
They didn't notice the tom coming in the other direction; he didn't notice them either, until they crashed into each other.  
  
"Sorry I wasn't looking where I was going." The tom said,  
  
"Tugger? Wha are you doin out this late?" Mungojerrie asked when he stood up.  
  
"I could ask you the same question. And why are your belongings in your loot bags?"  
  
"We're avin a spring cleanou." Rumpleteazer made up her reply on the spot.  
  
"On the 5th of August? In the middle of the night?"  
  
"Yeah." Rumpleteazer replied, unsteadily.  
  
"Well, you know us, we ain't the smartest peas in tha pod. Come on Teaz, we migh as well finish wha we started." Mungojerrie started putting his things in the sack.  
  
"What's going on you two?" Tugger stood up and crossed his arms across his chest.  
  
"Nothin." Rumpleteazer lied.  
  
"Tell me!"  
  
"We're leavin."  
  
"You're leaving?"  
  
"Yeah. Oi can't face the troibe tomorra. They'll judge me and kick me ou'. Oi don't wanna end up loike Dad or Mac."  
  
"What makes you say you'll end up like them?"  
  
"Because they were both koicked ou' of tha jellicles, nd oi'm loike them, oi got the family genes."  
  
"Jerrie. I can see where your coming from but do you really think leaving is the best idea? And taking Teazer along with you?"  
  
"Oi weren't gonna take Teazer bu' she insisted on comin."  
  
"Oi weren't gonna let Jerrie go of with ou me. Nd ny way, you can't stop us Tugger." Rumpleteazer had gathered all her stuff up again. Tugger slouched to his normal standing position.  
  
"I suppose your right. Can you tell me where you're going? I promise I won't tell." Mungojerrie looked at Tugger to try and see if he was telling the truth.  
  
"Ok. We're goin to a place called Olney."  
  
"I've been there, my human's parents live there. You picked a nice place. So are you going along the motor way or are you going the long way?"  
  
"Oi think we're goin along tha mo'or way."  
  
"We wanna get there quick." Rumpleteazer added.  
  
"Then I should get out of the way. Good luck you two. I'll miss you."  
  
"We'll miss ya too Tugger." Rumpleteazer gave Tugger a good bye hug and he hugged her back. Mungojerrie and Tugger were hesitant to hug, but they did.  
  
"Bye." Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer said before they disappeared into the shadows to go to their new home.  
  
The next morning everyone was excited. This was going to be a big celebration.  
  
Tugger walked into the junkyard. Now everyone was there apart from Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer.  
  
"I wonder where they are?" Murmurs rose from the cats.  
  
"They're not coming." The twins said in unison.  
  
"What!" Demeter exclaimed.  
  
"They're gone. They left sometime last night." The twins were psychically scanning the house on Victoria Grove for clues of where the 2 calicos were.  
  
"Do you know where they went?" Mistoffelees asked.  
  
"No, the have covered the trail."  
  
"Did they go willingly?" Bomby spoke up  
  
"Yes, but we can't find a reason."  
  
Old Deuteronomy stood up on the tire.  
  
"There must be a reason. But if they left willingly then we can't do anything about it. Instead we must pick a new protector. I did prepare for the slim chance that this might happen. I have chosen the Rum Tum Tugger to be our protector." Etcetera went mad at this. She started squealing beyond normal level. Tugger stood in shock.  
  
"Wow, I, um, thanks." Tugger replied. 'The twins are going to have to scan me as well, damn!' he thought to himself.  
  
"We'll give you half an hour to prepare." Deuteronomy sat down on the tire and started talking to Exotica.  
  
"Tugger, this is great." Bomby came over to him and gave him a kiss on the cheek. "I always knew you could."  
  
"Thanks. I've got to go check something. I'll be back for the ceremony." Before Bomby had a chance to reply, Tugger had run off.  
  
A few hours later, Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer were walking along the side of the motorway.  
  
"Oi wunder who they picked?" Mungo said to Rumple  
  
"Oi dunno. Oi've never really thought bout it before."  
  
"MUNGOJERRIE!!! RUMPLETEAZER!!!" They heard someone shout for them from behind.  
  
"TUGGER? WHA ARE YA DOIN ERE?" They shouted back. Tugger caught up and was panting.  
  
"I'm never running that far again." Tugger panted.  
  
"Wha ya doin ere?" Rumple asked  
  
"They wanted me to be the protector. I couldn't do it. They would have found out about you and the lie I told to everyone. I couldn't do it." Tugger was still out of breath.  
  
"Oi guess tha means your comin with us." Mungo said  
  
"I guess it does." Tugger flashed his infamous smile. "If you don't mind of course."  
  
"We don't mind. Tha more tha merrier." Rumple put down her bag down and made Tugger sit down to catch his breath.  
  
Meanwhile, back at the junkyard, everyone was frantic. Never in the history of the jellicles had this happened. Every so often one tribe protector would disappear before they got sworn in, but 2? This was unbelievable. What would they do? Had Deuteronomy thought about who else could be protector? He hadn't.  
  
The next day he made another announcement. Alonzo was to be the new leader. Everyone was happy with this choice. But they were all disappointed at Mungojerrie, Rumpleteazer and Rum Tum Tugger's behaviour. What hurt most is that they didn't even say goodbye. Etcetera, Electra and Jemima were going mad. They've lost Tugger, The Rum Tum Tugger. Who could they worship now?  
  
The 3 run a ways were feeling horribly guilty. Tugger already missed his kitty fan club, even though Rumple kept assuring him that wherever he went, there would be queens swooning over him.  
  
Some days later they arrived in Olney.  
  
"We made it!" Tugger exclaimed with his voice full of relief.  
  
"Did ya ever doubt tha we would?" Mungo asked  
  
"Well we almost got run over 1…2…3…4…5, 5 times. We got lost about twice as many times. And chased by pollicles about 50 million times!" Tugger counted the times. They were all funny memories, but actually being there was a different story.  
  
"Don' over exaggerate. Loike Jerrie said. We ain' tha smartes' peas in tha pod." Rumple said with a giggle.  
  
Tugger playfully bated her. "What do we do now we're here?"  
  
"FOOD!" Mungo burst out.  
  
"Sounds loike a good idea." Teazer giggled back. They followed their noses and found them selves in a bakery.  
  
"Hello there." A human said to them. "What are you doing in here?" They looked up at him with hungry faces. "Are you hungry?" They mieowed at him. Tugger found this completely demeaning, he never mieowed for anything.  
  
"Well don't tell anyone, but here you go." He came out from behind the counter and gave them each a sausage from one of his sandwiches. Once they had finished them, he spoke again. "Now run along, I don't want the health and safety people on my back. No offence to you."  
  
The 3 cats lumped down the step out of the shop.  
  
"Umm, that was nice." Tugger rubbed his stomach. "But if tell anyone that I had to mieow for food then I'll get you."  
  
"Don't worry Tugger, we wouldn' dream of telling." Mungo said with a yawn.  
  
"Oi'm tired to Jerrie. Lets go find us somewhere to sleep."  
  
"Good idea." Tugger replied with a yawn.  
  
They found a bush at the side of a field near the river. They checked to make sure it wasn't occupied and went to sleep.  
  
The next morning they had a look around. There were loads of cats around and they quickly made friends. There were lots of fields to run around in. They decided they were going to like it here; it was the total opposite of the London ally ways. Not long after they settled down, Rumpleteazer became pregnant. Mungojerrie was completely over the moon. He nicked a bracelet for her. It was a charm bracelet from a shop the humans called Metallica. The cats called it the shiny shop with fun things to steal.  
  
Life carried on like normal for them. Every so often they would feel the jellicles in them break free. When the moon shone bright they would dance. They didn't need a reason. They are jellicles after all. Other cats understood that this meant they would be maddened by the midnight dance.  
  
Time flowed on, the nights started getting colder, but they had each other for warmth. Rumpleteazer got bigger by the day and Mungojerrie wouldn't leave her alone for more than 2 minutes.  
  
One afternoon Rumpleteazer was lying next to the river. She had convinced Jerrie to go and have some alone time, and get some food while he was at it. Tugger was off flirting with the new selection of queens he had found.  
  
Rumpleteazer was thinking. 'Tonight's the jellicle ball. We've been maddened by the midnight dance before, what are we going to be like tonight? I wonder how the tribe are…' A sudden pain, and another, and another cut off her thoughts. 'Oh no, I'm going into labour, where's Jerrie when you need him?'  
  
"JERRIE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" She screamed out. Some humans looked at her strangely, but thought nothing of it. Jerrie was nowhere near her. He was at the bakery they had wondered into when they first arrived. They had often gone back for food and the human was more than happy to help.  
  
Luckily Tugger was half way across the field. He was, of course, flirting away, but he heard Teazer and was up and running towards her like a lightning bolt.  
  
"Teazer. What is it? Are you ok?"  
  
"Oi'm goin inta labour. Where's Jerrie."  
  
"I don't know, hang on a sec." He turned to face the queen he was flirting with, who hadn't moved. "CRISLY!!!!!!! GO FIND MUNGOJERRIE, AND JOILE!" Joile was the village matron. She was Jennyanydots and Jellylorum mixed into one. "It's ok Teazer, Jerrie will be her in a minute, just breath."  
  
Mungojerrie was there about 5 minutes later, and 2 minutes after that Joile was there.  
  
The birth went without a glitch. Rumpleteazer gave birth to 3 healthy kittens, 2 toms and a queen.  
  
"Congratulations." Joile said as she passed the kittens to Mungojerrie. "You should be honoured. All 3 are reborn cats." When Mungojerrie looked at the kittens he was shocked. They were Munkustrap, Griddlebone and…  
  
"Let me see them." Tugger jumped in.  
  
Rumpleteazer was sleeping, she was completely exhausted.  
  
Back at the junkyard, everything had returned to normal. Pouncival was the new Rum Tum Tugger (A/N: I can see it, I don't know about you) Alonzo was doing a great job as the tribe protector. A new Macavity hadn't emerged.  
  
The ball was underway and everyone was enjoying them selves. The twins suddenly felt something. They immediately went to find Alonzo.  
  
"Macavity has been reborn."  
  
  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
I forgot to put this at the beginning. I don't own Cats, I don't own anything to do with this story apart from the computer I wrote it on, which Bill Gates will probably claim as his. So I own nothin, NOTHING!!!!!! Ok, I have issues.  
  
Reviews wanted and welcome!!!!!  
  
Frannie 


	3. The Hunt

"Are you sure?" Alonzo asked. 'This is great' he thought to him self, 'we don't get a new Macavity, we get the old one back.'  
  
"Yes." Tantomile started.  
  
"But he is quite a way away." Coricopat finished.  
  
"Well where ever he his, he has to be stopped before he can grow to become who he truly is." Alonzo hated the thought of killing a kitten, but this was Macavity, they couldn't let him grow up. "In the morning I will tell Deuteronomy and set up a search party. Do you know where he is?"  
  
The twins concentrated really hard to track him down. "A place called Olney."  
  
"It sounds familiar. Enjoy the ball, we'll sort it out tomorrow." The twins went to carry on with the ball. Alonzo was un-easy that night. He wasn't a killer.  
  
  
  
"They're so cute Jerrie. They look just like you and Teazer." Tugger said as he held the larger tom kitten. He was darker than his siblings. They all had the same markings as Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer. The queen had longer fur and her markings were yellowish white, and the other tom had redder fur and longer head fur. "Why the long face Jerrie, you're a dad."  
  
"Can't ya see it?"  
  
"What?" Mungojerrie realised that only the parents could see who the reborn cats were.  
  
"They're all reborn cats."  
  
"Yeah, and?"  
  
"The queen is Griddlebone…"  
  
"Yeah…"  
  
"This tom is Macavity and tha tom is Munkustrap."  
  
"Oh." Tugger looked at the 'Munkustrap' he was holding.  
  
"How can oi tell Teazer?"  
  
"Tell me wha?" Rumpleteazer woke up. She didn't get much of a sleep, but she hadn't seen her kittens yet. "The kit's are ok aren't they?" She sat up with concern on her face.  
  
"Tha kit's are fine. Here, look they're all beautiful." Mungojerrie handed the 2 he was hold to her and held the tom Tugger handed to him.  
  
"Jerrie, they're…"  
  
"Oi know love. This is Munkustrap." Jerrie showed Teazer the last kitten.  
  
"Oi'm sorry Jerrie."  
  
"It's no' your fault Teaz. Nd nyways, it don't matter. We're parents nd we got 3 beautiful kits, tha's all tha matters." He smiled at her and gave her a reassuring kiss on the cheek.  
  
"What are you going to call them?" Tugger asked. Watching them almost made him want to find love and settle down, almost.  
  
Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer looked at each other. They had talked about this, but now the names seemed obvious.  
  
"Razi." Rumpleteazer stroked the tom in her arms, "Phiona." She stroked the queen.  
  
"Nd Vasilek." Mungojerrie stroked the tom in his arms.  
  
"Razi, Phiona and Vasilek. Um, nice. What makes you pick those names?"  
  
"Vasilek means protector, Phiona means Ivory and Razi means my secret."  
  
"My secret?"  
  
"'Ow many cats are we gonna tell tha' this is Macavity?" Rumpleteazer said. It was true. Cats would judge Razi before they got to know him if they knew he was Macavity.  
  
"It's dark. You 2 should get some sleep. Teazer you especially. I'm going to bunk some where else, give you lot some space." Tugger turned to leave before they could complain.  
  
Tugger did a little dance as he was walking. He sighed to himself.  
  
"The jellicle ball."  
  
The new family head towards the home they had made for them selves and went to sleep, unaware of the trouble that was coming.  
  
  
  
At the junkyard the next morning, everyone wondered why a meeting was called. There were no problems at the jellicle ball. No attacks from other cats. Electra and Admetus did the mating dance without a flaw, and they were very happy.  
  
"Last night the twins told me some news, some terrible news. Macavity has been reborn." Everyone was shocked. They all started talking. "We have to stop him before he can grow up to become the Macavity we all knew." Alonzo said above the crowd. Everyone was quiet. "The twins have said he is in a place called Olney. I'm taking a search party with me to find him. Who wants to come?" Alonzo knew this was going to be hard. Not many cats dared venture out of the jellicle area of London.  
  
"We'll go." The twins said in unison.  
  
"Me to." Victoria said. She had become very bold since the ball before last.  
  
"I'll come as well." Mistoffelees didn't want his sister Victoria to go if he wasn't, he cared about her too much.  
  
"And me." Bomby was never one to miss out on an adventure.  
  
Victoria knew that her mate Plato would want to come, but he had broken his leg recently and couldn't walk, well, anywhere.  
  
"Ok. That will be enough. We will leave this afternoon." Alonzo knew that he had a good selection of cats.  
  
"I'll stay here and look after the lovely ladies then." Pouncival said while he winked at Zele, Cassandra's kitten. Zele was his biggest fan; she was just like Etcetera was with Tugger. Not that Etcetera had changed. The only difference was that she liked Pouncival now. It was a Bomby-Tugger relationship with her and Pounce. She had grown up to be a very sexy queen.  
  
  
  
That afternoon the 7 cats set off. They knew it would be a long journey.  
  
(A/N: I don't know how long a kitten takes to grow up so I've made this up.)  
  
  
  
A few weeks later Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer were sitting together watching their kittens play, under a tree. It was getting colder but none of them seemed to notice. Suddenly Tugger came running over.  
  
"Tugger, where's tha fire?" Mungojerrie asked with a laugh.  
  
"This is worse than a fire, a fire we can escape from, this we can't."  
  
"Wha are ya goin on abou'"  
  
"The jellicles are here."  
  
"Wha!"  
  
"I saw them coming down past the castle pub. I hid and I heard that they after Macavity. They want to kill him!"  
  
"They wouldn't, would they?"  
  
"They don't want him to grow up."  
  
"We gotta hide, we can't le' um see us."  
  
"Where are we going to hide?"  
  
"Tha park." Rumpleteazer said. Tugger and Mungojerrie looked at them. "It's big, we could hide easy."  
  
"Good idea Teaz. Phi, Raz, Vas! Come over here." Mungojerrie called them over.  
  
"Yes dad?" Phiona was very polite. Neither parent knew where she got it from, it certainly wasn't them.  
  
"We're goin for a trip."  
  
"Yay! A trip." Razi jumped up and down. He was very adventurous.  
  
"Where are we going mum?" Vasilek asked Rumpleteazer. He was polite in his own way. He was a very curious cat. Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer guessed that Tugger had shown him that.  
  
"We're goin to tha park over tha road. Bu' it's gonna be dangerous. So we're gonna have ta carry ya."  
  
"Tugger, will you carry me?" Phiona asked. She may be very young, but she had quite a crush on Tugger.  
  
"Of course. I wouldn't want to let my favourite queen down now would I?" Tugger played this a lot more than he did with the kits back at the junkyard, because she was so much younger.  
  
She jumped on his back, Razi jumped on Jerrie and Vasilek jumped on Teazer. They made they're way towards the road.  
  
"They had to turn up when the road is busy didn't they?" Tugger said to Mungo and Teazer.  
  
"We're going to be ok aren't we Tugger?" Phiona worriedly asked.  
  
"Of course we are Phi. Would I let anything hurt you?" She giggled her girlish giggle.  
  
"Ok. Teaza, you go first, Tugger, then you, nd oi'll go last."  
  
"Ok." Rumple replied. She gave Jerrie a kiss on the cheek and ran across the road. She made it across with no difficulty, Vasilek screamed a bit, but that was expected. Tugger went next. A car beeped him and Phiona jumped a bit, but she didn't let go. Jerrie went last and Razi started woo hooing. In his excitement he let go. Mungojerrie screeched to a halt and turned back for the kitten. Rumpleteazer and Tugger were shouting in fear. They knew that the shouting would probably bring more attention to them through the psychic field that the twins had, but they didn't care at the moment.  
  
Mungojerrie grabbed Razi with his mouth and ran to the other cats. A car had to swerve, and it crashed into another car. It didn't look deadly serious, and they couldn't do anything about it. So the 6 cats headed into the park. (Emberton Park for anyone who actually knows Olney)  
  
"Your in trouble Razi." Rumpleteazer exclaimed with Vasilek still on her back. Razi was still being held by Mungojerrie's mouth.  
  
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to." He looked down resentfully. Not that he could really look anywhere else.  
  
  
  
"This way." The twins were leading the group of jellicles. It had been about 20 minutes since they sensed Tugger around them. They had stopped for a rest then, but now they were on the hunt again. They were all near the river. Alonzo sniffed the air.  
  
"They've defiantly been here, the sent is very strong." On the way to Olney the twins had realised that Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer were 'Macavity's' parents. The closer they were the more they could find out.  
  
"Look here." Bomby called over, "I think this was their den." The sent of Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer was very strong, along with 3 other cats who they didn't know.  
  
"This isn't where we sensed the shouting." The twins said in unison.  
  
"Do you know which direction it was?" Victoria asked. The twins concentrated for a minute.  
  
"That way." Coricopat pointed toward the church, (which happens to have the road on the other side of it.) The group set off for the road. The traffic was still when the got there. The accident had caused a massive tail back.  
  
"Looks like they've been up to they're old tricks." Misto said with a laugh.  
  
"They have." The twins replied.  
  
"They really did this?" Alonzo exclaimed.  
  
"Yes, trying to cross the road in a hurry it would seem." Coricopat said while his sister was trying to find out if any humans had been hurt.  
  
"No one was hurt to badly"  
  
"Well let's get across before traffic starts again." Alonzo suggested. They all crossed the road and headed into the park.  
  
  
  
"Down 'ere."  
  
"Bu' Teaza, oi'm ungrey!"  
  
"This is no toime to be thinking of your stomach. TUGGER! Stop eyin up tha queens, we gotta 'ide!" Rumple was getting very mad at the 2 toms. She knew they both wanted to hide, but with them, lets just say they need to be forced. "You 2 get in 'ere now!" They quickly followed her.  
  
"A tip for you little ones, never get your mum mad." Tugger lied down so that Phiona could get off easily. The 2 tom kittens jumped off of their parents back. Razi had got a lecture on the way there about what he did wrong. It wasn't a very good lecture because Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer aren't the best cats to ask for anything serious.  
  
"You 3 can carry on playin now, but stay close." Mungo said to them before he went and sat next to Rumple. "Wha are we gonna do Teaza? They'll foind us, especially with tha twins." Rumple sighed.  
  
"Oi don't know Jerrie."  
  
They all heard Phiona shout 'SHUT UP' to her brothers. They all loved to tease each other. Not only because it was natural for siblings to do that, but also because they got it from their parents. "Tugger, go check them will ya?"  
  
"You're the parents, why don't you?"  
  
"Because Phi loves ya."  
  
"Good point." Tugger walked out of the bush they had chosen to hide in and looked at the kits. "Hey, guys, where's your sister."  
  
"She walked off." Razi replied not moving his eyes from the stone he seemed to be having fun with.  
  
"Why did she walk off?"  
  
"Because Raz said she was a girly girl and was teasing her." Vasilek said bating at a patch of grass.  
  
"You were as well." Razi dropped the stone and turned to his brother. They started arguing in an away that only brothers can.  
  
"Ok you 2 cut it out. Which way did she go?" Tugger had one kit in one paw and the other in the other. (Just thought I'd confuse myself there).  
  
"That way." They both said pointing in different directions.  
  
"Ok, I'm not going to mess around, which way!" Tugger almost shouted.  
  
"Wha goin on?" Mungo and Rumple stuck their heads out of the bush.  
  
"Phi's gone wondering and these won't give me straight directions." The kits sore the look of anger and worry building up on Mungo and Teazer's faces.  
  
"That way." They both pointed in the same direction.  
  
"Thank you." Tugger turned to the parents, "I'll go look for her, she can't have gone far."  
  
"Ok. It's toime we had a word with our little trouble makers here." Mungo and Teazer picked up a kit each and Tugger went off to find the young queen. He had quite a soft spot for her. He had watched her since she was born and saw himself more as an Uncle to her.  
  
  
  
Meanwhile, Phi was wondering around mumbling to her self.  
  
"Stupid brothers, I'm not a girly girl." She suddenly heard a noise from behind a bush. She was going over to investigate when Tugger came running over.  
  
"Phi, there you are! I was worried." Phi quickly dismissed the noise.  
  
"You don't think I'm a girly girl do you Tugger?"  
  
"Of course not. Ignore your brothers, they're just immature." A short sharp burst of laughter came from behind a bush. The laughter sounded slightly familiar, but Tugger couldn't think who it belonged to. Deciding it was better to be safe than sorry, he got his claws out. "Stay here." He whispered to Phi. Then he jumped through the bush ready to attack the cat if necessary. The cat screamed. "Victoria?!" Tugger was suddenly zapped from behind. "MISTO!"  
  
"Don't you dare touch my sister!" Misto had lightning building up in his hands ready to attack again.  
  
"I wasn't going to attack her." Misto looked at Tugger's claws and raised an eyebrow. Tugger retracted them, "That was just a scare method, you know, just in case." Victoria slowly creped around him and ran to her brother's side. "Why'd you laugh at me anyway?" He pointed at Victoria.  
  
"Because you were talking about immaturity like you arn't."  
  
"I know that I am, but I don't tease young queens about their gender." He gestured to Phi. She hid behind his arm "This is…"  
  
"GRIDDLEBONE!" Bomby appeared behind the group of cats. Phiona jumped about 10 feet in the air. That was her cat name, but no one called her by it. Everyone she knew called her Phiona or Phi.  
  
"Tugger? How'd she know my name?"  
  
"It's a long story, I'll tell you later." Tugger ruffled her head fur and she giggled. "Long time no see Bomby."  
  
"And whose fault is that?!" She asked in complete rage.  
  
"That's my fault, I know that."  
  
"Why did you just leave like that you son of a pom!" She slapped him round the face and Phi hid even more.  
  
"Bomby! Not in front of the kitten." He rubbed his face.  
  
"I'm sorry, but you deserve it, just running off like that, do you know the chaos you caused?"  
  
"No, but I can guess from the look on your face."  
  
"You haven't changed."  
  
"And nor have you I see." Tugger smirked. He hadn't noticed that Alonzo and the twins had turned up as well.  
  
"MACAVITY!" Victoria screamed. Tugger looked around in shock.  
  
"Razi, what are you doing here. You should be with your parents." Razi looked very shocked as well.  
  
"I got bored."  
  
"Mum and Dad will be worried." Phi said to him with anger in her voice.  
  
"Phi, I'm really sorry, I shouldn't have teased you. Vas' sorry as well." He looked down and shuffled his paws.  
  
"Is that him?" Alonzo said to the twins. Tugger turned round to face him  
  
"Yes." Razi got very worried and clinged on to Tugger; he didn't like the way the cats were looking at him.  
  
"Tugger, hand over the tom." Alonzo said in his most powerful voice.  
  
"No! He's not you kitten, you have no right to take him!"  
  
"What do they want?" Razi asked, still holding Tugger.  
  
"Nothing, just stay with me." Tugger reassuringly said back. Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer came running in with Vas behind them. They didn't notice the jellicles.  
  
"Razi! Phinona! Thank everlasting cat your alroight." Rumpleteazer said as she licked them to make sure they were ok.  
  
"Never run off loike tha again… AHH!" Mungojerrie was saying until he noticed the jellicles surrounding them. "Wha are you lot doin ere?"  
  
"We are here for Macavity." The twins said together.  
  
"NO! You leave my baby alone!" Rumpleteazer held Razi, who had let go of Tugger and holding onto his mum.  
  
"I hate to do this Rumple, but it has to be done." Alonzo said in his most caring voice.  
  
"NO!" Both parents said together. Razi sneezed.  
  
"Can you answer us a question?" Victoria said from behind.  
  
"Wha would tha be?" Mungo replied.  
  
"Why did you leave?"  
  
"No, oi won't answer that."  
  
"Why not?" Bomby asked.  
  
"Because." Mungo looked down in shame, he did not like lying to his friends.  
  
"Mungojerrie, we deserve to know, we'll use the twins if you not careful." Alonzo threatened.  
  
"Ya wouldn't!" Rumple exclaimed. Everyone knew that if the twins forced their way into your head it hurt. Razi sneezed again. "Are you ok Raz?"  
  
"Yeah." Razi replied with another sneeze.  
  
"We deserve to know why you left. All 3 of you left chaos." Bomby glared at Tugger.  
  
"Stay ou' of me head!" Mungojerrie stood in front of Razi and Rumpleteazer with Vas clinging onto his side. Phi was clinging onto Tugger.  
  
"We are going to find out." Alonzo said before he signalled the twins to begin. Mungojerrie started screaming in pain. Vas let go of his dad and hid behind his mum.  
  
"STOP IT!!!!! YOU'RE HURTING HIM!!!!!!!" Rumpleteazer shouted.  
  
"Jerrie, the more you fight it the more it will hurt." Misto said from behind them. He didn't want to see his friend hurt, even after the chaos he caused.  
  
"GET OUT!!!!!!!!" Jerrie screamed. Rumple couldn't take seeing her mate like this. She pushed the kittens towards Tugger and ran towards the twins. Jerrie was in a ball on the floor. He had his paws over his ears, or one ear and one place where the ear should be, and was still screaming. Rumpleteazer ran straight into Coricopat, she didn't want to hurt him, just stop them from hurting Jerrie. She hadn't noticed the sharp rock behind Coricopat. He got a large scratch along his back.  
  
"Look what you've done!" Tantomile shouted at Rumpleteazer.  
  
"Oi'm sorry, oi didn't mean to. Oi jus' wan'ed you to stop 'urting Jerrie." Rumple apologised snappishly.  
  
"We were just doing what was right."  
  
"Invadin our privacy 'nd hurtin Jerrie is not righ'!"  
  
"We were doing it for the right reasons!"  
  
"We left for tha roight reasons, bu' you won't except that will ya?"  
  
"We'll accept it if you hand over Macavity."  
  
"No. He's my kitten and oi'm not let'in you ny where near him!"  
  
"He's Macavity. Well all know what that means. We have to stop it before it starts."  
  
"Jus' because he's tha reborn of Macavity don't mean he will be Macavity."  
  
"Rumpleteazer, you very well that 9 out of 10 times the reborn is like the original."  
  
"Razi hasn't done ny thin bad."  
  
"Yet."  
  
"You are really frustratin you know." Teazer had here claws out ready to attack. Tantomile noticed this.  
  
"Ready to fight are we?" She got her claws out ready as well.  
  
"Gladly." Rumpleteazer launched herself at Tantomile. They went rolling down a hill fighting to the most of their abilities. Coricopat and Alonzo went skidding down the hill after them. Mungojerrie was still curled up in a ball. He was crying and breathing heavily. Tugger had turned the kittens around; he didn't want them seeing any of this.  
  
At the bottom of the hill, Tantomile and Rumpleteazer were still fighting. Alonzo and Coricopat spilt them up. They both had various cuts, but nothing too serious.  
  
"Now come on you 2, this is not going to help anyone." Alonzo shouted as he held Rumpleteazer.  
  
"I know why they left!" Tantomile was faster than her brother with mind reading.  
  
"NO!" Rumpleteazer struggled and tried to get free to stop Tanto from talking.  
  
"Mungojerrie is a murderer!"  
  
"We know that, he killed Macavity." Alonzo replied confused.  
  
"Not Macavity…"  
  
"NO! SHUT UP!" Rumpleteazer used all her strength to break free but Alonzo was a lot stronger.  
  
"He killed Munkustrap!" Alonzo and Coricopat were shocked, and Rumpleteazer stopped squirming. At the top of the hill Misto, Bomby and Victoria had heard Mungo's secret. They turned to look at Mungo, who was still curled up in a ball.  
  
"Is this true Tugger?" Victoria asked.  
  
"Yes." Tugger hung his head in shame. He looked at the kittens that were now gently prodding Mungo, Razi was sneezing and sniffling.  
  
The 4 cats came up the hill.  
  
"Well, now that the truth has been told. Mungojerrie has to be punished; the punishment for murder is death."  
  
"NO!!!!!" Rumpleteazer and Tugger screamed. (Everyone's saying no) The kittens jumped protectively on their dad.  
  
"That's the way it has to be, he killed the tribe protector and then lied about it." Alonzo explained.  
  
"Bu we lied bout it as well!" Rumple exclaimed  
  
"And I'm the one who started the lie!" Tugger joined in.  
  
"But he's the one who committed the crime." Tantomile commented,  
  
"You stay ou' of this!" Rumpleteazer snapped at her.  
  
"Rumpleteazer, please calm down." Alonzo didn't want this getting any further out of hand than it already was.  
  
"Ow can oi calm down! You come 'ere, scare tha tail's off of us, and want ta kill moi kit'n and moi mate! Ow can oi be calm!" She was fuming, "If ya wanna kill either of them then your gonna 'ave ta kill me as well!" She stood over her young family.  
  
"And me!" Tugger stood next to her.  
  
"TUGGER!" Bomby shouted. Even after what Tugger had done she still wanted him around for…her own pleasure. "What are you doing?"  
  
"I've become quite attached to them recently. They're like the loving family I never had." He said with a smirk.  
  
"You're making this very difficult." Alonzo didn't know what to do.  
  
"Your tha one makin it difficult!" Mungojerrie started getting up. Rumple held him up. "You ok Jerrie?"  
  
"Bout as ok as oi'll ever be." He looked around. All eyes were on him. "Wha are they all looking at?"  
  
"They know bout Munkus."  
  
"Oh, roight. Oi'm so sorry, but e was goin mad."  
  
"He's right. Munkustrap was going mad." Tugger stuck up for his friend.  
  
"I don't believe you." Victoria snapped. This was the most ridiculous thing she had ever heard, Munkustrap, the protector, the cat everyone looked up to, going mad. It couldn't be true.  
  
Tugger suddenly started screaming in pain. No one knew what was going on until they looked at the twins. The twins were concentrating, a sign that they were mind reading. Once they had finished they spoke.  
  
"He's right. Munkustrap went mad."  
  
"Warn me before you do that again please." Tugger rubbed his head. Unlike Jerrie, he had let them in once he knew what was going on, it didn't hurt as much as it could have, but it still hurt.  
  
"Sorry, but we wanted the pure truth." Coricopat apologised.  
  
"Your sure?" Alonzo asked, with relief filling his voice.  
  
"Yes. Munkustrap went mad." Coricopat confirmed.  
  
"Well then Mungojerrie you are cleared of all charges." Rumple, Tugger and Mungo breathed a sigh of relief. "But that still doesn't help with the Macavity situation." Alonzo yawned, he needed an excuse get away so he could think a way around this, a yawn was good enough for him. "It's getting late and I'm tired. Lets all sleep and tomorrow we will figure this out. This isn't a chance for you to run again." He pointed at the run a ways.  
  
"We won't. We only ran ta keep Jerrie's secret." Rumple was still holding Jerrie.  
  
"Do you know anywhere safe to sleep?" Bomby asked.  
  
"Well we found a bush, bu' it ain't warm." Rumpleteazer shivered a bit. The winter nights were kicking in. "Ooo. There's a shop over there." She pointed across the field. "Me nd Jerrie could break in?"  
  
"That's the best option we have." Alonzo agreed as he shivered.  
  
All the cats walked across the field. Phiona fell asleep on Tugger's back and Razi was sneezing while holding onto his Dad.  
  
When they got to the shop, Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer broke in without starting the alarm.  
  
"Good old Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer." Misto said before he closed his eyes and fell into a deep sleep. 


End file.
